Top Gun (1986)

Director:

Tony Scott

Writers:

Ehud Yonay (article)
Jim Cash (written by) ...

Release Date:

16 May 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

From the Producers of Beverly Hills Cop and Flashdance [UK Theatrical]

Plot:

The macho students of an elite US Flying school for advanced fighter pilots compete to be best in the class, and one romances the teacher.

Plot Keywords:

Military | Propaganda | Beach Volleyball | Spit Take | Bar

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 8 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Tom Cruise	...	Maverick
Kelly McGillis	...	Charlie
Val Kilmer	...	Ice
Anthony Edwards	...	Goose
Tom Skerritt	...	Viper
Michael Ironside	...	Jester
John Stockwell	...	Cougar
Barry Tubb	...	Wolfman
Rick Rossovich	...	Slider
Tim Robbins	...	Merlin
Clarence Gilyard Jr.	...	Sundown
Whip Hubley	...	Hollywood
James Tolkan	...	Stinger
Meg Ryan	...	Carole
Adrian Pasdar	...	Chipper

Also Known As:

Top Guns (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Netherlands:6 | Brazil:Livre | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | UK:12 | Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Chile:TE | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1986) | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 (DVD rating) | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Naval Training Center, San Diego, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Riding on the back of this film's success, the US Navy set up recruiting booths in the major cinemas to try and catch some of the adrenaline charged guys leaving the screenings. They had the highest applications rate for years as a result.

Goofs:

Continuity: Maverick's sunglasses are (not) on when Slider picks him up after they return to the carrier.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Strike: Ghost Rider, this is Strike. We have unknown aircraft inbound Mustang. Your vector zero-nine-zero for bogey.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Movie Music Mania (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Hot Summer Nights

Jerry Bruckheimer delivers again.

Jerry Bruckheimer; the name strikes fear into my heart.

The man honestly cannot tell the difference between action and boredom. With him its hit or miss.

In this case, hit.

Big hit.

Tom Cruise's performance is stellar, playing a role that he would end up playing again and again as the overconfident 'Maverick' who eventually learns his lesson. And a ham-handed lesson it is, hammered home in the end by his constant "I'm not leaving my wingman!" yell.

Val Kilmer shines...heck, the whole supporting cast shines! Meg Ryan, Anthony Edwards, Rim Robbins, Micheal Ironsides, Skerrit--they all come through beautifully. The action scenes are some of the best aerial shots ever shot.

On to the complaints.

Jerry Bruckheimer loads the sap on with a cement truck, nearly drowning this movie in it. The dialogue is corny. Basically--the very things that made the entire movie 'Armageddon' horrible mar the corners of Top Gun. The ending is worse than corny; it's a clear case of deus ex machina. A very clear case. The deus almost knocked me out of my seat.

A satisfying movie, altogether. Four out of five stars.